Back Home
by Sassafrass86
Summary: Chap 8--Jing-Mei and Dave...the Lounge...alone? It's the start of what may turn into a major Jinucci story! Oh, and Carter, being the wacky person he is, stirs up some fun!
1. Feels Like Home

Disclaimer: Dave, come back! I need you! Okay, I don't own Erik Palladino or his character, Dave Malucci.  
  
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"Kerry! How very nice to see you. What brings you to my office?" Robert Romano greeted Dr. Weaver.  
  
"Robert, you called me up here yourself," Kerry replied, rolling her eyes.  
  
"I know that. Can't you take a greeting?"  
  
Kerry raised an eyebrow. Robert cleared his throat.  
  
"Right then, the reason you're here. We have a meeting with a certain someone today."  
  
"Really, now? Why wasn't I informed about this before?"  
  
"That's not important, Kerry."  
  
Kerry shook her head. "Fine, you don't have to tell me. Whom is this meeting with?"  
  
"He should be here in a few…" Robert started. Before he could finish his sentence, however, there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Enter!" Robert called.  
  
The knocker turned the knob, opened the door, and stuck his head into the room.  
  
"Ah, Dr. Malucci! Come in, come in," Robert told him, smiling.  
  
Dave's name caught the attention of Kerry and she looked over her shoulder. Sure enough, there was Dave. He came in, closing the door behind him, and sat down.  
  
"Dave? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Good afternoon, Chief," Dave replied, not answering her question.  
  
"Dr. Malucci would like to be reinstated," Robert explained.  
  
Kerry smirked. "I'm afraid that's impossible."  
  
Dave looked at the floor.  
  
"Oh, come now, Kerry, surely his approach is better than Dr. Chen's?" Robert persisted.  
  
"Robert, have you forgotten that Dr. Malucci is partly responsible for a man's death?"  
  
"As are you and Dr. Chen," Robert countered.  
  
"There have been multiple complaints about his inability to be professional…"  
  
"Kerry, your personal assessment of Dr. Malucci…"  
  
"He doesn't have any respect for his colleagues what-so-ever…"  
  
"Has nothing do with whether or not he's capable of his job…"  
  
"I caught him having sex with a paramedic in an ambulance…"  
  
"And he should have another chance…"  
  
"Why are you being so compassionate about this, Robert? What's in it for you?"  
  
"Kerry, it's just the fact that Malucci here has approached me in a civilized manner. He didn't bring any lawyers threatening to shut Cook County down if we don't give him his job back."  
  
Kerry sat in silence for a moment. She looked at Dave, who didn't say anything.  
  
"Why do you want your job back, Malucci?" she asked.  
  
Dave looked at her. "I've worked here for almost three years, Dr. Weaver. This place has been my home more so than anywhere else. I know you don't like me, but please…I really do have a child to support. And I'll change, I swear…"  
  
Kerry held a hand up. "I get the point."  
  
Dave's face fell slightly and he averted his eyes away from her again.  
  
  
  
"I'll think about it," Kerry said.  
  
Dave looked up at her with a gleam of hope in his eyes.  
  
"Thank you, Dr. Weaver," he said, almost beaming.  
  
"I can't promise anything, now," she warned.  
  
Dave nodded in understanding.  
  
"Alright then, sorry to interrupt this Kodak moment, but I think this meeting is over," Robert said suddenly. "Dr. Malucci, I'll make sure we get in touch with you. You have a nice day now."  
  
"Uh…"  
  
"That's your cue to leave, David," Robert ordered.  
  
Dave raised his eyebrows. "It's just Dave. And thank you, Dr. Romano, Dr. Weaver. I hope you hear from you soon."  
  
"Have a nice day," Kerry told him.  
  
He smiled at the doctors, stood up, and walked out the door.  
  
  
  
"Well, Kerry, I think it's about time we both get back to work."  
  
"Sure thing, Robert," Kerry replied. She stood up and made her way out the door.  
  
"Kerry," Robert called to her.  
  
She turned. "Yes?"  
  
"You did a very good job at handling this thing," he complimented.  
  
Kerry felt a warm smile creep across her face. "Thank you, Robert."  
  
He nodded. "Get back to work."  
  
Kerry stifled a laugh and nodded. She walked out and closed the door behind her. 


	2. 20 Questions

Disclaimer: Let's screw the disclaimer! I want Erik!  
  
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Kerry sat at the table in the Lounge, thinking about the pros and cons of hiring Dave back. What were the cons? He was cocky, he was disrespectful, he had a big mouth, he could hardly contain his anger…he was quite simply a pain in the ass. The pros? He could spot certain diseases, the Marfan's syndrome not included, such as the JVS call. Even Carter wasn't able to figure that one out. He could be a damn good doctor at times. And he had fixed her car at one point. He could be caring and gentle, but he could also be incredibly rude and unprofessional. Kerry sighed and rubbed her temples. She looked up in surprise when she heard the door open.  
  
  
  
"Carter, I'm glad you're in here," Kerry said to the Chief Resident.  
  
"Uh, why? Am I in trouble?" Carter asked, slowing down.  
  
"Did you do something wrong?" Kerry inquired.  
  
"No…" Carter replied, slowly.  
  
"Then you're not in trouble," Kerry said.  
  
"Oh…okay, good," Carter said happily, wearing a smile of relief.  
  
"I wanted to talk to you about Dr. Malucci," Kerry told him.  
  
"Dave? What about him?"  
  
"Well, I had a meeting up in Dr. Romano's office today and it was concerning his reinstatement."  
  
"Are you serious? Wow."  
  
"Yes, I know. I was wondering…what would you think if I rehired Dave?"  
  
"Uh, well…I guess I wouldn't be too surprised."  
  
"Why not?" Kerry asked, becoming confused.  
  
"Because…well, I don't know. Dave can be…difficult at times," Carter replied as he strained to find the right words. "But I suppose even as difficult a person is, everyone deserves a second chance. Even Dave."  
  
"I've given him enough chances," Kerry muttered.  
  
Carter shrugged. "Listen, Dr. Weaver, if you don't want him back, it's your decision. But I wouldn't mind Dave working here again. Sometimes, he can actually be useful."  
  
"What if I hire him back and he continues to wreak havoc?"  
  
Carter shrugged again. "A cat's got nine lives. Let Dave live his last one. Kerry, if there's one thing I've learned about you in all the years we've worked together, it's that even though you can be a complete hard-ass, you have a heart of gold. We all know you've got a soft spot for Malucci somewhere."  
  
With that last comment, Carter walked out of the Lounge, forgetting whatever it was he had gone in for in the first place, and left Kerry to once again ponder the idea of rehiring her former co-worker.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Gwen…Gwen grab he's right there…aw, damn," Dave laughed as his little boy ran around the house, running away from the babysitter, Gwen Reynolds, and himself, to avoid a bath. "Jeremy, get over here! Come on, it's just a…no! No, don't knock that over! Oh, no…" Gwen groaned as Jeremy Malucci crashed into a table knocking it down, along with an old lamp. "I'm sorry, Dave!"  
  
"It's okay, Gwen don't worry about it, it's just a lamp," Dave assured, still laughing.  
  
"He's running toward you!" Gwen warned as Jeremy suddenly changed direction.  
  
"Aha! I got you!" Dave exclaimed as he scooped his giggling son into his arms.  
  
"Daddy!" he yelled.  
  
"That's right, little man. Now, let's get you in that bath!"  
  
"No, no bath!"  
  
"You wanna bet? You've been playing out in the dirt all day!"  
  
Jeremy pouted. "Please, Daddy? No bath?"  
  
"Sorry, kid, you need one," Dave replied. He walked over to Gwen and put Jeremy into her arms. "You should go get him in there before he starts going crazy again."  
  
A grin spread across Gwen's face and she nodded. "No problem," she told him. As she walked toward the bathroom, the phone rang. Dave ran to the table the phone was sitting on and picked up the receiver.  
  
  
  
"Hello?" he asked, out of breath.  
  
"Dr. Malucci? Have I got you at a bad time?" the voice asked.  
  
"No, sir," Dave assured.  
  
"Good, because quite frankly, I wouldn't have cared anyway," Romano replied.  
  
Dave rolled his eyes. "Can I ask why you've called?"  
  
"Isn't it obvious? Weaver's agreed to give you your job back."  
  
"Are…are you serious? She's letting me come back?"  
  
"Isn't that what you wanted, or am I missing something?"  
  
"No…no, not at all, of course it's what I wanted, it's just…she's really letting me come back?"  
  
"Malucci, if I wanted to play 20 Questions, I would've asked Dr. Corday."  
  
Dave gave a small smirk. "Sorry. So, uh, when do I start?"  
  
"Tomorrow."  
  
Dave blinked. "That soon?"  
  
"Is that inconvenient for you?" Romano asked, sarcastically.  
  
"Uh, no, I don't think so," Dave replied.  
  
"So I'll see you tomorrow then?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Make sure to stop by my office in the morning so I can make sure you showed up."  
  
"I will do that, Dr. Romano."  
  
"Very good. Well, I must be off to open up another patient. Have a nice day, Malucci."  
  
"Thank you," Dave replied. "Good-bye."  
  
He hung up the phone after hearing the ring tone on the other end and smiled. The Chief was actually letting him come back.  
  
  
  
"Dave, can I get some help in here?" Gwen called from the bathroom.  
  
Dave laughed. "Sure, Gwen, I'll be right there."  
  
He took a deep breath and shook his head. He pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming and yelped when he did so. He rolled his eyes at his silliness and went to join Gwen in the impossible, yet inevitable, task of giving his son a bath. 


	3. Morning

Disclaimer: Let's screw the disclaimer! I want Erik!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
  
Dave bustled around his kitchen, making breakfast for his son and himself.  
  
"What do you want, Jer?" Dave asked the child, who was standing next to him.  
  
"I dunno," Jeremy replied.  
  
"No, really, Dad has to go to work today and I have to drop you off at school and we need to hurry," Dave babbled.  
  
"Can I have pancakes?"  
  
"No, no, you can't have pancakes, that'll take too long. Do you want a pop tart?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you want a waffle?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then what do you want?"  
  
"Pancakes."  
  
"Jeremy, please, we can't have pancakes. Not today. I'll make them for you later."  
  
"Can we have them for dinner?"  
  
Dave threw his hands in the air. "Fine, I'll make pancakes for dinner."  
  
"Daddy, are you mad at me?"  
  
Dave turned to his son and sighed. The rubbed his eyes and knelt down. "No, Tiger, I'm not mad at you. It's just that Daddy's a little tired right now and he's busy. Look, how about I toast a Pop Tart for you and I'll make you pancakes when I come home, okay?"  
  
Jeremy nodded happily.  
  
"Yeah? Sound good? Okay," Dave said, smiling. He walked over to one of the kitchen cabinets, opened it, and grabbed the box of Pop Tarts. He took three out and put them in the toaster.  
  
"Do you want something to drink?" Dave asked.  
  
"Chocolate milk?" Jeremy pleaded.  
  
Dave chuckled. "Sure, why not?"  
  
He grabbed the milk out of the refrigerator and poured it into a glass. Then he grabbed the Nestle chocolate powder, mixed it with the milk, and handed the finished product to Jeremy.  
  
"Thank you, Daddy!" Jeremy exclaimed.  
  
"Uh-huh," Dave grunted as the Pop Tarts popped out of the toaster. He put the food onto a plate and put it on the kitchen counter. He took the milk out of Jeremy's hand, set it on the table, and lifted Jeremy up onto a chair. "Okay, you eat your breakfast, and I am going to get our things."  
  
Jeremy nodded, already stuffing his face with his food.  
  
  
  
Dave walked into his room, opened his closet, and grabbed his backpack. He spotted his helmet in the corner and picked it up. He left his room and walked into Jeremy's, where he snatched up his school bag, making sure all of Jeremy's supplies were in it. The doorbell rang and Dave groaned. He ran into the living room, dropped the things he was holding, and opened the door.  
  
  
  
"Hi, Gwen," Dave greeted.  
  
"Hey, Dave, how's it going?" Gwen asked, a cheerful smile spread across her slightly tanned skin.  
  
"Not much, I'm just getting our stuff ready. Jeremy's in the kitchen eating," Dave informed.  
  
"So are you excited about your first day back at work?" Gwen asked.  
  
"I think the right word would be nervous," Dave corrected.  
  
Gwen laughed. "I'll bet."  
  
"Yeah, I just hope I don't get into any big trouble with Chief today."  
  
"Hey," Gwen started.  
  
Dave turned to look at her.  
  
"Don't let her get you down," she continued, her facial expression serious. "You're a great doctor. Don't let anybody tell you differently."  
  
Dave smiled at her sincerity. "Thanks, Gwen."  
  
Gwen gave him a tight smile and nodded.  
  
  
  
"Gwen!" Jeremy yelled gleefully when he ran out of the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, little man!" Gwen exclaimed, her tone changing from serious to cheerfulness. "Are you ready?"  
  
"Uh-huh!" Jeremy replied, running over to Dave, who had grabbed their jackets from the coat rack. Dave helped Jeremy put on his jacket and handed him his bag.  
  
"Now, you behave," Dave said sternly, repeating what he said every morning right before Jeremy left for school.  
  
"I will," Jeremy promised.  
  
Dave gave a curt nod. It wasn't long before he broke into a laugh, picked up his son, and swung him around in a big hug. "Okay, get out of here," Dave laughed.  
  
"Come on, kid," Gwen said, holding out her hand, which Jeremy took. She led him toward the open door. Before they left, Jeremy turned and waved at his father.  
  
"Bye, Daddy!" Jeremy called.  
  
"Bye," Dave called back.  
  
  
  
Dave shut the door and walked to the kitchen. He found one Pop Tart left on the plate and the glass of milk empty. He shrugged, picked up the Pop Tart, and started munching on it. He picked up the plate and glass and dumped them in the sink. He yawned and looked at his watch. His shift started in…30 minutes?!  
  
  
  
"Aw, crap," Dave muttered, wiping the crumbs off his clothes and face. He ran into the living room, strapped on his helmet, put on his jacket, grabbed his bag and keys, and ran out the door, closing and locking it behind him. He raced down the stairs, unlocked his bike from the rack outside, and pedaled as fast as he could to County.  
  
  
  
When Dave reached his destination, he, once again, locked his bike to the familiar rack in front of the ER building. He looked at his watch and saw that he had made it with 5 minutes to spare. He took a deep breath and walked into the building. He looked around and saw people racing around, busy as bees. He saw Dr. Weaver at the admit desk. At that moment, she turned and spotted him standing in front of the sliding doors. She limped toward him and gave him a warm smile.  
  
"Hello, Dave," she greeted half-heartedly.  
  
"Hi, Chief," Dave replied. "Uh, I need to put my stuff away…and I need to go up to Dr. Romano's office, too."  
  
"Oh, yes, of course. Well, we had to give your locker away, but you can leave your stuff on the floor in the Lounge, and you can go upstairs when you're down," Kerry told him.  
  
Dave nodded and walked into the Lounge. He paused and turned back to his boss. "Chief?"  
  
Kerry turned to face him. "Yes?"  
  
"I just want to thank you. For giving me another chance."  
  
She shrugged. "Everybody deserves a second chance," she stated before turning again and walking off. Dave stared after her before narrowing his eyes and walking into the Lounge.  
  
  
  
"Dave?"  
  
"Hey, Jing-Mei," Dave said, trying not to laugh at the shocked expression on Chen's face.  
  
"Wha…what are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"You're not the only one who can get rehired," Dave replied, putting his belongings down next to the couch.  
  
"I…I don't know…I mean…wow," she stuttered.  
  
Dave gave him one of his classic smiles. "So, I heard you got a spot as an attending?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," Jing-Mei confirmed.  
  
"Huh," Dave grunted. "What'd you do to weasel yourself into that?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Jing-Mei asked.  
  
"Hey, don't get offensive," Dave said, holding up his hands in surrender mode. "But come on, they wouldn't just give you that position."  
  
"It's none of your business," Jing-Mei replied.  
  
"Fine, fine," Dave agreed, putting his hands back down. "Well, if you'll excuse me I have to go see Dr. Romano."  
  
"See ya," Jing-Mei called.  
  
Dave held up a hand to acknowledge her and walked out the door.  
  
  
  
He walked toward the elevator, trying to ignore some of the odd looks he was getting. Occasionally he got a welcoming smile and a wave, which he returned, but he had also got the "what-the-hell-are-you-doing-here" looks as well. He continued walking, quickening his stride, and ran right into Carter. Dave smiled.  
  
"Hey, Carter," Dave said to him.  
  
"Hey! Dave! Weaver hired you back?" Carter exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, how'd you know about it?" Dave asked, curiously.  
  
"Uh, it doesn't matter. So, how are you?" Carter replied, changing the subject.  
  
"Eh, nothing much," Dave said, shrugging off the curt reply to his question. "You know, the usual, watching some movies, watching a little TV, eating, taking care of my son, reading…"  
  
"Wait, wait, wait," Carter interrupted. "Son?"  
  
"Yeah, didn't you hear?" Dave asked.  
  
"Well, yeah, but I didn't think it was true," Carter said.  
  
Dave tilted his head. "What, you think I was lying to keep my job?"  
  
"I…I…" Carter stammered, shaking his head.  
  
"Carter, it's cool, man, don't worry. I'm sure everyone in this place thinks I lied," Dave speculated. "Well, I've got to be getting upstairs, Dr. Romano's expecting me."  
  
"Okay, I'll see you later, then," Carter replied.  
  
Dave smiled in reply and pressed the Up button to the elevator. Carter's voice calling his name made him turn.  
  
"Dave!"  
  
"What's up, Carter?"  
  
"Welcome back," Carter called, smiling widely.  
  
Dave nodded. "Thanks, man."  
  
The elevator dinged and Dave walked onto it. The doors closed and he pressed the button to which the OR floor was on. When the doors opened again, he walked out and headed straight to Romano's office. He knocked on the door.  
  
"Enter!" Robert called.  
  
Dave rolled his eyes and opened the door. "Good morning, Dr. Romano."  
  
"Ah, Dr. Malucci, welcome back to the hellhole," Robert greeted.  
  
Dave stifled a laugh. "Thank you, I guess. Did you just want me to check in or did you want to speak with me?"  
  
"Yes, yes, have a seat," Robert said, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of his desk.  
  
Dave complied and sat down in a chair.  
  
"Well, Malucci, we both know that you've made a major mistake, correct?" Robert said.  
  
"Yes, sir," Dave said, quietly.  
  
"That case has been closed," Robert said strictly. "You are never to speak of that in or outside of the ER again, understood?"  
  
"Yes, absolutely," Dave replied, nodding.  
  
"Good," Robert said. He leaned in. "Now, if Weaver gives you any trouble, just come to me and let me know, you got it?"  
  
"Uh…well, okay, but I don't think…" Dave started.  
  
"Perfect!" Robert exclaimed, cutting him off. "Now, go have a nice first day back at work and don't get hurt."  
  
"I…"  
  
"Get out," Robert ordered, pointing to the door.  
  
Dave blinked in surprise and stood up. "Thank you, sir."  
  
He turned and walked out of the office. He went right back to the elevator and went back down to the ER to start his first day back. 


	4. Shoot

Disclaimer: Let's screw the disclaimer! I want Erik!  
  
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"Just hold still…it'll be just a few more seconds…there you go," Dave said, finishing the stitches of a patient who had sliced her hand when trying to grab knife. "Next time, Jennifer, don't try to catch a falling knife. It's not exactly the brightest thing to do."  
  
The teenage girl nodded. "I won't, Dr. Dave, don't worry," she assured.  
  
Dave laughed. "Okay, then, if you have any problems like infections or something, just come back in and we'll take care of it," Dave told her.  
  
She nodded again. "Thank you."  
  
"Not a problem. Have a good day," Dave said. He stood up and walked out the door. He let out a deep sigh. He had spent half the morning explaining to all his co-workers why he was back. Sure, he had gotten a few hugs, some of the nurses gave him a welcome back kiss on the cheek, he got warm smiles…but he had gotten tired of it all. So he had been glad to see some patients. Which was a first, since he usually found patients who weren't part of a major trauma, well…boring.  
  
  
  
He walked down the hall and stopped at the admit desk to pick up another chart when he noticed that Randi was staring at him. He tried to ignore it at first, but he finally gave him and looked back at her.  
  
"Do you need something, Randi?" he asked.  
  
She shook her head and blew a bubble with her gum. "Nope."  
  
"Why are you staring at me?"  
  
She shrugged. "No reason," she replied.  
  
Dave narrowed his eyes and grabbed a chart. He looked down at it to find that it was a patient with a headache. Randi was still staring at him. He looked at her again.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing!" she exclaimed.  
  
Dave sighed exasperatedly and walked away.  
  
  
  
As he walked to Exam 2, where his next patient was, he felt his arm being tugged and he turned around. "Yes?" he said to the male stranger.  
  
"Dude," the boy, who looked about 17, started, "I really need a fix. Can you give me something?"  
  
Dave looked around, feeling a little uncomfortable. "Uh, dude, I can't do that. This is a hospital, we don't just give away drugs."  
  
"Man, I really need something. You don't understand," the teenager whined.  
  
"You're going to have to find somewhere else do get your daily dose. Now, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Dave replied.  
  
"Fine. Screw you, asshole. You'll be sorry," the teen said angrily, throwing up his hands. He ran out the main entrance to the ER while Dave watched after him. Dave shook his head. Unbelievable.  
  
  
  
"Malucci, is there something wrong?" Kerry asked, walking up to him.  
  
"Uh, no Chief, it was a drug seeker. I asked him to leave," Dave explained.  
  
"Well, good. Now you can get back to work," she said, walking away.  
  
Dave sighed and looked at his chart. He walked to Exam 2, this time without any interruptions. He entered the room and found a young man in his early twenties sitting on the bed, already in a gown.  
  
"Hello…uh," Dave started.  
  
"Timothy," the patient filled in.  
  
Dave smiled. "Timothy, hi. I'm Dr. Dave and I'll be treating you today. Can you tell what the problem is?"  
  
"Well, I've been having some really bad headaches lately. That's basically it."  
  
"Uh-huh. Have you been under any major stress lately?" Dave asked.  
  
"Kind of…we've been having finals at college," Timothy explained.  
  
"Oh, that's tough. Have you been studying?"  
  
"More than anything."  
  
"That's probably it, then."  
  
"Are you serious? I'm having these headaches from too much studying?"  
  
"Well, the stress plays a much more major role. But you know, all that brain-racking doesn't help much."  
  
"Wow. Well, are you going to give me something?"  
  
"Uh, well, have you been taking anything yourself?"  
  
"Aspirin and Advil?" Timothy offered.  
  
"And they haven't been working?"  
  
"Not much."  
  
"Okay, well, I guess I could prescribe you something. I'll be right back."  
  
Dave stood up and walked out the door, planning on presenting the case to the Chief when he heard his name being called.  
  
"Dave, we need you for a trauma!" Chuny called.  
  
"I'll be right there!" Dave called back.  
  
"We'll be in Trauma 3," Chuny informed.  
  
Dave ran to the admit desk. "Randi, hold on to this for me, will ya?" Dave asked, tossing the irritated desk clerk Timothy's chart.  
  
"Okay, but you owe me one!" Randi called after him.  
  
"Whatever!" Dave yelled over his shoulder.  
  
  
  
He rushed to Trauma 3 and found Carter, Chuny, Abby, and two others he had never seen before working on the trauma.  
  
"What's up?" Dave asked as Chuny helped him put on a gown. He snapped on his gloves and walked over to the body being worked on.  
  
"Fifteen year old girl, victim of a hit-and-run. The driver's in the next room," Carter replied.  
  
"Who're these guys?" Dave inquired, gesturing to the two African-American men.  
  
"Dave, this is Michael Gallant, fourth year med student, and Greg Pratt, intern. Boys, this is Dr. Dave Malucci. It's his first day back so don't give him any trouble," Carter said quickly.  
  
Dave rolled his eyes. "Thank you, Counselor Carter," he said, sarcastically.  
  
Carter smiled up at him and returned his attention to the girl. The sound of the heart monitor's quickening beeps caught Dave's attention.  
  
"Dr. Carter, we're in V-fib!" Gallant called frantically.  
  
"Get me the paddles," Dave said to Chuny. The response was immediate and he felt the paddles being put into his hands. Pratt set the orange pads on the girl's chest.  
  
"Charge to 150…clear!"  
  
  
  
"Time of death, 12:57," Kerry stated, pulling off her gloves.  
  
Susan Lewis followed suit and sighed. They both walked out the trauma room doors.  
  
"Kerry, everyone's been talking about that kid Dave," Susan started. "What's up with him?"  
  
"Dr. Malucci has made some mistakes," Kerry said in an official tone. "He was fired but he is now reinstated."  
  
"Why?" Susan asked, puzzled.  
  
"It's confidential business," Kerry replied.  
  
Susan nodded and licked her lips. "He seems like a nice guy."  
  
"He can be," Kerry agreed.  
  
"Is he a good person?"  
  
Kerry tilted her head to the left, then to the right, and to the left again. "He can be," she said again, this time with a small laugh. "He can be good to have around. He's proved to be a very good doctor at times, but he can be very irresponsible."  
  
"Huh," Susan replied. "Well, he sounds like everyone in this ER. Excuse me, I have to go see my patient."  
  
Susan walked off and left Weaver standing alone in the hall. Susan didn't know it, but the last comment she made had inadvertently added to Kerry's continuing thoughts about her decision to rehire Dave.  
  
  
  
"Nice job, Dave," Carter congratulated as the two doctors watched the hit-and-run girl being wheeled to the OR.  
  
"What? All I did was shock her out of V-fib," Dave replied, shrugging.  
  
"Yeah, but you've been out of practice for a while," Carter continued.  
  
Dave shrugged again. "It's not hard to remember."  
  
"Yeah, well…" Carter started, trailing off.  
  
"What, you think that I'm such a bad doctor that I would forget something like that?" Dave accused.  
  
"No, not at all," Carter stammered. "I, uh, I…I'm sorry…uh, I've got to go see some patients."  
  
Carter quickly walked away and Dave suddenly regretted the accusation he had laid on Carter.  
  
He sighed. Then, he remembered Timothy. He walked to the admit desk where Randi was sitting, reading a magazine.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Randi, can I get that chart back?" Dave asked.  
  
"Yeah, but it won't do you any good," Randi replied, handing him the chart.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"The guy left," Randi explained, waving her hand toward the doors.  
  
"What?" he exclaimed. "Why didn't you stop him?"  
  
"Is that my job?" Randi asked, annoyed. "Noooo."  
  
Dave rubbed his eyes and shook his head. He looked at his watch. "Okay, whatever, I'm taking a break."  
  
He walked to the Lounge and opened the doors. He gasped when he saw the person before him. It was the guy who had been asking him for drugs earlier and he was aiming a gun straight at Dave's chest.  
  
"You yell, I shoot," the teen warned. "Get in here."  
  
Dave slowly walked in and the door swished closed behind him.  
  
"I told you you'd be sorry," the teen said evilly.  
  
Dave took a deep breath. "Come on, kid, don't do this."  
  
"Don't call me 'kid'," the boy said bitterly, dropping his gun hand down to his side. "The name's Shane."  
  
"Okay…uh, okay, Shane," Dave stammered nervously. "You don't need to do this."  
  
"Yes I do. I told you…you don't understand how much I need those drugs," Shane said, now panting.  
  
"Nobody needs drugs that badly," Dave said, cautiously.  
  
"You don't know what you're talking about! I haven't had a good fix in a week!" Shane exclaimed, waving the gun around. Dave feared that at any moment, it might end up going off.  
  
"You can get help," Dave told him.  
  
"You don't get it, do you? I don't WANT help, I just want the damn drugs!" Shane spat.  
  
"Well I can't help you with that," Dave said, firmly.  
  
Shane snarled. He ran up to Dave and grabbed the young resident's collar with his free hand. Despite his rage, Shane spoke in a calm voice. "If you don't help me, you're going to get hurt. You want to live? Get me those drugs."  
  
Dave slowly shook his head. "I can't do that," he whispered.  
  
Shane gave a low growl and let go of Dave's shirt. He cocked his head and smiled. "Fine," he said, aiming the gun at Dave's head. Suddenly, the door to the Lounge began to open. Dave's eyes widened when he realized that Shane was changing his aim and Dave turned to look at the person.  
  
"Jing-Mei, get down!" 


	5. Set It Off

Disclaimer: Dave is mine, but those stupid people at NBC took him and refuse to give him back!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
  
"Jing-Mei, get down!" Dave exclaimed running to his brunette co- worker. He heard the gun going off as he jumped on Jing-Mei to get her out of the line of fire.  
  
"Dave?" Jing-Mei half-asked, the tone of her voice sounding very panicked.  
  
"Everyone get down!" Dave ordered to the other equally panicked people in the ER. They all did immediately what they were told. Dave and Jing-Mei wondered why Shane hadn't come out of the Lounge yet, but they didn't wait for an answer. Dave grabbed her hand and they crawled behind the admit desk where a frightened Randi, a shocked Jerry, and an angry Frank were crouched. Dave heard the door to the Lounge open and peeked his head over the desktop. He saw a furious Shane walk out, gun still in hand. He watched as Shane walked to Chairs where many terrified patients were kneeling. He grabbed on of the waiting people by the shirt and forced him up.  
  
  
  
"Okay, doc, if you don't come out, this one gets it," Shane called.  
  
Dave's eyes widened and he immediately started to stand. Jing-Mei grabbed the end of his scrub top and pulled him back down.  
  
"What are you doing?" she whispered incredulously.  
  
"I'm not going to let him kill that guy," Dave whispered back. "Don't worry, I'll be okay."  
  
Jing-Mei reluctantly let go of him and Dave stood up. He saw Shane give him an evil sneer.  
  
"Well, hello there," he said, letting go of the man he had been holding. "Why don't you come to the center of the stage?"  
  
Dave slowly walked toward Shane, gaining fear with every step he took. He looked to the side and saw the Chief staring up at him with complete and utter fear. He also saw Susan, Abby and Gallant, each wearing a look much like Weaver's. He gave them a small, reassuring smile, which they tried to return. He looked to his other side and saw Luka and Pratt looking at him with an expression of…dare he say it…was it admiration?  
  
When he reached the drug seeker, he looked him straight in the eye. The two glared at each other for a few moments. Shane was the first to break the contact. He looked toward the admit desk and spotted Jing-Mei for a split second. He smiled again. He started toward the desk, but was stopped by Dave, who grabbed his arm.  
  
"Let me go," Shane said, calmly.  
  
"I'm not going to let you hurt them," Dave replied, quietly.  
  
"Yeah? Well, I've got the gun," Shane retorted. "Now let go of me."  
  
Dave tried not to lose it and this time complied. He let go of Shane's arm and instantly regretted doing so. Shane continued toward the admit desk and when he reached it, he reached over the top and pulled Jing-Mei to her feet by her hair. Dave could hear her squeal of pain and felt himself going hot with anger.  
  
"Leave her alone or I'll hurt you," Dave threatened.  
  
He saw Shane pause. He watched as Shane kept his grip on Jing-Mei's hair and pulled her around the desk until she was standing right next to him. He lifted his gun.  
  
"What are you going to do about it?" Shane asked, smiling.  
  
Dave took a step toward him.  
  
"One more step and your little girlfriend gets it," Shane threatened, holding the gun up to Jing-Mei's head, causing her eyes to widen to their limits.  
  
Dave stopped and pondered about what he was going to do next. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the ER doors opening. It was Timothy. Timothy walked in, saw Shane holding the gun up to Jing-Mei's head, stopped, and raised his eyebrows.  
  
"Uh, did I miss something?" he asked, cluelessly.  
  
  
  
Jing-Mei took this opportunity to take advantage of the distracted Shane, freed one of her arms from his grip, and elbowed him. Shane doubled over, but somehow kept his grip on the gun. Dave ran over and tackled Shane. Jing-Mei's body tensed with fear when she heard the gun go off. Dave and Shane both lay on the floor and Jing-Mei and all the other workers in the ER feared the worst. She cautiously walked toward the two men and let out a gasp when she saw a puddle of blood on the floor. She knelt down, not noticing that her co-workers were gathering around the three. She carefully tried to pull Dave off of Shane, but there was no need to. Dave pulled himself off the teenager and Jing-Mei sighed with relief. But the relief drifted away when she saw the top of Dave's shoulder covered with blood. Dave sensed her worry and he turned to her.  
  
"I'm okay, the bullet just skimmed my arm. See?" he explained, pointing to the ceiling. Sure enough, a bullet hole was broken into the roof. They looked back down at Shane and Jing-Mei realized the blood was coming from the boy's head.  
  
"Somebody get a gurney," she heard Kerry order. She watched as Susan and Pratt went off to find one. "Dave, get that shoulder fixed up."  
  
"I'll do it," Jing-Mei offered. She looked up at Dave and he smiled at her.  
  
"I'll help," Abby added.  
  
Abby, Jing-Mei, and Dave walked to one of the free rooms. They heard somebody, probably Kerry, ordering jobs to people. Jing-Mei opened the door to Exam 4 and Dave and Abby entered. Jing-Mei followed and closed the door behind her.  
  
  
  
"Uh, I guess you should take your shirt off," Jing-Mei said.  
  
Dave nodded and began to lift his scrub top. He winced in pain when he lifted his arm and quickly let his shirt back down.  
  
"Do you want help?" Abby asked.  
  
Dave looked up at her and nodded gratefully.  
  
Abby smiled. "Okay," she said, walking over to him with a pair of scissors.  
  
She cut the front of his shirt and put the scissors down. She walked behind him and helped him pull it off.  
  
Jing-Mei tried not to get too excited at the sight of Dave's firm six-pack. She looked away for a moment and then walked over to him. She took a deep breath and examined his wound.  
  
  
  
"Is he going to be okay?" Gallant asked his boss.  
  
Kerry let out a deep sigh. "I suppose," she replied. "Lucky bastard."  
  
Gallant nodded. "How's Dr. Malucci?"  
  
Kerry looked at him. "I'm sure he'll be okay. It wasn't very serious."  
  
He nodded again. "Have you called the police?"  
  
Kerry smiled to herself. "Yes, they're on their way."  
  
"Excuse me," Gallant said, distracted by something.  
  
Kerry watched as the young med student walked over to Dave, followed by Chen and Abby, who had just exited the exam room.  
  
  
  
"Dr. Malucci, are you alright?" Gallant asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm cool. It figures this happens on my first day back," Dave joked, pulling down the new scrub top Abby had given him. Jing-Mei gave a small smile.  
  
"What am I going to tell my son and babysitter," he continued.  
  
Jing-Mei looked up. "Son?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah," Dave replied. "Dr. Dave has a son. Scary, isn't it?"  
  
Jing-Mei gave a forced laugh.  
  
"Well, excuse me, I have to go find some patients," Dave said, starting to walk away.  
  
"Wait, what? No, no, no, not yet," Jing-Mei ordered. "You go take a nap or something."  
  
Dave narrowed his eyes. "I'm not tired," he replied.  
  
"Oh, yeah? Tough," Jing-Mei told him sternly. She pointed to the room they had just come out of. "Go get some sleep."  
  
Dave rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll rest for one hour and that's it."  
  
He marched back into the exam room and Jing-Mei smiled victoriously. Abby and Michael followed her as she walked to the admit desk.  
  
"Randi?"  
  
She looked up. "What?"  
  
"Make sure nobody goes into Exam 4. Dave's sleeping in there," Jing-Mei requested.  
  
Randi smiled softly and nodded. "Okay, don't worry, I won't."  
  
"Thanks," Jing-Mei replied.  
  
  
  
  
  
Three hours later…  
  
  
  
"Dave?" Jing-Mei said softly, shaking her co-worker awake.  
  
He groaned and turned over, cringing when he lay on his shoulder. He sat straight up and looked around. He looked at his watch and his eyebrows shot up. "I've been sleeping for three hours?"  
  
"Straight," Jing-Mei confirmed.  
  
"Man…isn't Chief pissed?"  
  
"Of course not, she understands."  
  
Dave bit his lip. "So why'd you wake me up?"  
  
"Oh, um, the police are here and they want to talk with you."  
  
Dave sighed and nodded. "Okay," he replied.  
  
"Okay, let's go," Jing-Mei said. She helped him off the bed, took him by the hand, and led him out the door. She headed toward the Lounge where the police were waiting.  
  
"Dave?" she asked as they went on their way.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"How old is your son?"  
  
"He's four. Why?"  
  
"Just wondering…so where's his mother?"  
  
"She took off. I don't really want to talk about it."  
  
They both remained silent the rest of the way and when they reached the doors to the Lounge, Jing-Mei let go of Dave's hand. "Well, this is your stop," she said, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Thanks," Dave replied. He looked her in the eye. "For all of your help."  
  
"Hey, what are friends for?"  
  
Dave averted his eyes from hers, but she could see a small smile forming.  
  
"Well, I'll see you later," Jing-Mei told him.  
  
"Yeah, see ya," he replied. With that, he walked into the Lounge and Jing- Mei stood in her spot, smiling. 


	6. Listen Up

Disclaimer: I don't own Dave, yadda, yadda, yadda…the writers of ER must be on something if they're not bringing Dave back.  
  
AN: So the thing about cracking the patient's chest is stoled from Brothers and Sisters. So? It's better if Dave's in it, right?  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
  
"Dave! Oh my God, are you okay?" Gwen asked, rushing up to the resident.  
  
Dave raised his eyebrows. "Gwen? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was at your apartment watching Jeremy, and the phone rang," Gwen explained breathlessly. "I came down ASAP."  
  
"Yeah, I told them to call you…and I also told them to tell you that you didn't have to come here," Dave said.  
  
"I ignored that part," Gwen replied. She gave him a small smile.  
  
Dave sighed and smiled back. "Don't worry about me, Gwen, I'm okay. Actually the worst part of the day was being questioned by the police."  
  
"Do they have the guy in custody?" she asked.  
  
"Well, he's upstairs in the jail ward. I…" Dave started.  
  
"He's still here?" Gwen asked, incredulously.  
  
"Uh, yeah…"  
  
"Why the hell is this guy still here? He's a maniac with a gun! Maniacs with guns should not still be here," Gwen said, rushing her words.  
  
"Calm down, Gwen. He's here because his head got bashed when I tackled him," Dave told her.  
  
"What??" she questioned, her eyes widening.  
  
"Never mind," Dave replied, not wanting to bother explaining. "Who'd you leave Jeremy with?"  
  
"Uh, Mrs. Carlisle," she said, rubbing her temples.  
  
"Okay," Dave sighed. "Maybe you should be getting back."  
  
Gwen looked up at him. After a moment she nodded. "Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"I'm fine," Dave laughed. "I'll be home in a few hours."  
  
She nodded again, gave his hand a squeeze, and left.  
  
  
  
Dave sighed with relief as soon as Gwen walked out the door. He turned to walk to the admit desk when Kerry stopped him.  
  
"Malucci, what are you doing?" she demanded.  
  
"Uh…going to find a patient?" he replied, meekly.  
  
"Are you sure you should be walking around already? I mean, it's only been a few hours…"  
  
"Chief, I'm cool," Dave said for what had to be the hundredth time.  
  
"Malucci, it's okay if you want to get some more rest. We paged Carter and he's here now, so…"  
  
"Why would you page Carter?" Dave asked.  
  
"Well, just in case you…"  
  
"I'm fine. I don't need any help," Dave told her, angrily.  
  
"I know that, Malucci," she said sharply, her features hardening.  
  
Dave bit his tongue and looked at the ground. "Sorry, Chief."  
  
Kerry's expression softened. She started to say something, but she was interrupted by Carter's voice.  
  
  
  
"We need somebody for this trauma!" he called.  
  
Kerry looked at Dave. "Why don't you take this one," she offered.  
  
Dave looked up at her and gave her a grateful smile. He ran to follow Carter, Haleh, and Pratt to the trauma room.  
  
  
  
"What do we have now?" Dave inquired as he entered. He pulled on his gloves and gown and walked straight to the table.  
  
"Twenty-four year old white male with stab wounds to the neck and chest," Carter explained.  
  
"Funny how we seem to be having all the same traumas," Pratt commented.  
  
"Shut up and concentrate, Pratt," Carter ordered. "We need to get a central line in."  
  
"I'll do it," Dave offered, but Carter shook his head.  
  
"It's okay, I've got it," he said quickly.  
  
Dave looked at him oddly and stepped out of the way so Carter could put in the line.  
  
"Almost there…okay, got it," Carter said, completing the procedure.  
  
"Carter…" Dave started, almost fearfully.  
  
Carter looked to see what Dave was looking at and his eyes widened.  
  
"We need to get a chest tube! Get the tray," Carter said to Haleh, who nodded.  
  
"Can I do it?" Pratt asked.  
  
"No," Carter replied. "Dave, you want this?"  
  
Dave raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "Sure," he said, walking over. He took the ten-blade and made the incision. He looked up at caught of glimpse of Pratt eyeing a busy Carter. He finished what he was doing and stood up straight. As he stood, he stretched his shoulder and winced. Carter caught him and put on a concerned look.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Dave replied, his eyebrows furrowed. "It's just a skin wound, anyway."  
  
  
  
"Carter, Dave, we need you two in the here," Abby called from the next trauma room.  
  
"Okay, we'll be there in a minute," Carter replied, looking at Dave. "Come on. Pratt, I'm going to call Dr. Lewis in here. Don't do anything until she gets in."  
  
Pratt nodded. Carter walked to the doors of the trauma room, opened them, and luckily spotted Susan talking to another patient. He pulled his bloody gloves off, threw them in the trash, and ran to her.  
  
"Susan, can you take over in Trauma 3?" he requested.  
  
"Uh, sure, I'll be there in a few," Susan replied.  
  
"Thanks," Carter said, running back, this time entering Trauma 2, in which Dave had already gone.  
  
  
  
Pratt stood before the patient and stared down at him. The monitor started beeping and his heartbeat sped up.  
  
"Damn it, he's bleeding out!" Pratt said.  
  
Haleh looked over and when she saw that Pratt was being honest, she quickly walked over.  
  
"What do we do?" Pratt asked.  
  
"We can't do anything, we have to wait for a doctor," Haleh lectured.  
  
More beeping started and Pratt began to panic. "We have to crack him."  
  
"Oh, no, you can't do that," Haleh told him, firmly.  
  
"We can't wait! He'll die if we don't do it!" he cried.  
  
"You don't have permission!" Haleh cried back.  
  
"I don't care," Pratt replied, defiantly. He grabbed a scalpel, poured the saline over the man, and made an incision.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing! You need permission from a resident to do that!" Haleh told him.  
  
"You might want to let this guy die, but I don't," Pratt said. He grabbed the sternal saw and turned it on. He followed the incision he made and started down.  
  
"Damn you," Haleh spat and quickly ran into the other trauma room.  
  
  
  
"Carter, Dave, Pratt just opened that man's chest," Haleh told them.  
  
"What?" Carter cried, incredulously.  
  
"I told him not to," Haleh explained.  
  
"Luka, do you got this?" Carter asked.  
  
Luka nodded. "Go."  
  
Carter motioned for Dave to follow him and the residents ran back to Trauma 3.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Carter demanded.  
  
"I had to crack his chest," Pratt replied.  
  
"You didn't have permission to do that," Dave said.  
  
"This was a really stupid thing to do," Carter added as he took over. "Get out."  
  
"Excuse me?" Pratt asked.  
  
"Get out," Carter repeated.  
  
Pratt gave him a shocked look. "Dr. Carter, I…"  
  
"Pratt, leave," Dave told him.  
  
The intern huffed and stormed out. Dave watched as and turned back to Carter who shook his head.  
  
"I can't believe him," Carter said, looking up at Dave.  
  
Dave remained silent, smiling to himself as he worked, knowing that Pratt would end up being in more trouble with the Chief and Carter than he could ever imagine. 


	7. Dear, ER Gang

Disclaimer: Must we go through this again?  
  
AN: This chapter contains spoilers from the letter that Dr. Greene sends out from the upcoming episode "The Letter".  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
  
"Malucci," Dr. Greg Pratt called, running up to the resident.  
  
Dave stopped in his tracks and turned to Pratt. "Dude, don't even do that," he said.  
  
Pratt narrowed his eyes. "Do what?"  
  
"Call me just Malucci," Dave replied.  
  
"Why not? Dr. Weaver does it," Pratt replied.  
  
Dave fought the urge to roll his eyes. This guy really got on his nerves. "Are you Dr. Weaver?"  
  
"No…do I look like her?" Pratt retorted.  
  
"You know, that smart-ass act isn't going to get you anywhere," Dave told him. "I should know."  
  
"That's right, you got fired from here, right?" Pratt asked, almost mockingly.  
  
Dave took a deep, but unnoticeable, breath. "Did you need something?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I need you to sign off on my patient," Pratt said, showing him the chart he was holding.  
  
Dave looked at it and back at Pratt. "Aren't you supposed to get Carter to do that?"  
  
"He's not here, his shift ended."  
  
"Fine," Dave sighed, grabbing his pen from his scrub top pocket and scribbling his name on the line.  
  
"Thank you," Pratt said, starting to walk away. He paused and turned back to Dave. "What's up with him anyway? Dr. Carter, I mean."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Dave asked, rubbing his forehead. He was starting to get a little tired of the newcomer.  
  
"Well, what's his deal? It's like he doesn't know how to lay back. Everything has to be done exactly as the rulebook says," Pratt explained.  
  
"Look, man, Carter…he's had a rough time, okay?" Dave replied.  
  
"Why, what happened to him?"  
  
"That's none of your business," Dave chastised. "And I'd advise you to stay out of peoples' business, but if I did tell you that, I'd be a hypocrite. Excuse me."  
  
Dave turned in the other direction and walked away from the surprised intern.  
  
  
  
He spotted Dr. Weaver walking into the Lounge and he ran to follow her in.  
  
"Dr. Weaver, can I talk to you," Dave asked the redhead doctor.  
  
"Sure," she replied, fixing herself a cup of coffee.  
  
"Well, I wanted to apologize to you," Dave started.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About what I said to you the day you fired me," Dave replied. He saw Weaver pause.  
  
"It's fine, Dave," she replied, pouring water into the Mr. Coffee machine. After she switched the machine on, she turned to Dave. "Really."  
  
Dave shook his head. "No, it's not. I was completely out of line. I was confused, I was pissed, I was surprised, I was upset…and I was out of control. I shouldn't have said those things to you, you didn't deserve them," Dave said, quickly. He took a deep breath. "So I'm sorry. And I hope that maybe you'll forgive me and we can start over."  
  
Kerry stared at him for a moment. She averted his eyes from him. "I wanted to apologize as well."  
  
"Why? You didn't do anything wrong," Dave replied, surprised.  
  
"No, I shouldn't have said what I said either. Dave, it's not that I don't like you. You're a good doctor and you're a good man. But you can be very difficult at times," she started, her last comment making Dave chuckle. She smiled. "And my involvement with the Marfan's case…"  
  
She made eye contact with him and he furrowed his brow. "What involvement?"  
  
Kerry blinked. "Uh…Dr. Chen or Dr. Romano hasn't informed you yet?"  
  
"Informed me about what?" Dave asked, very confused.  
  
She was silent for a moment. "Nothing," she said, finally, "it's not important."  
  
Dave gave her an odd look, but shrugged it off. "Uh, I wanted to talk to you about Pratt."  
  
"Oh, yes, he's very headstrong, isn't he?" Kerry said, turning to find the coffee done. "Do you want a cup?"  
  
"Oh, no thanks. Yeah, he isn't staying here, is he?" Dave asked.  
  
"Actually, he is. I was told a few days ago that he was being assigned to this hospital."  
  
Dave grimaced. "If he keeps up that attitude I used to have, he's going to end up like I did."  
  
"Used to have?" Kerry asked, giving Dave a curious look.  
  
"Chief, I'm going to change. I swear to you. It might take awhile to do that, and I'll probably still be very cocky at times, but…I'm going to change. I'm going to respect the people I work with, I won't freak out on abusive parents…" Dave said, trailing off. He was lingering in an area he didn't want to be now.  
  
"You know, nobody here knows why you do that," Kerry said.  
  
"Yeah, well, I figured nobody cared. It doesn't matter anymore anyway," Dave offered. He sighed and looked around. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, is Dr. Greene starting his shift soon? You know, because I haven't seen him around and I figure that I need to apologize to him, too."  
  
Kerry looked at him in silence, a look of sadness overwhelming her entire face.  
  
"Chief, what's wrong?" Dave asked, concerned with her sudden change of expression.  
  
"Dave, Mark's tumor came back," she said, sadly.  
  
Dave's eyes widened. He shook his head, thinking he heard wrong. "What?"  
  
"His tumor came back," she repeated, this time continuing. "He started his chemo, but decided to stop. That same day was his last day at County. He took one of his daughters, Rachael, to Hawaii and he passed away."  
  
Dave was in shock. He looked down. All those times he had mocked Dr. Greene about his tumor, about the scar on his head…now he was full of guilt and remorse.  
  
"We, uh, we got a letter from him," Kerry continued. "Carter pinned it up, but it's been awhile, so we took it down. Do you want to read it?"  
  
Dave looked back at Kerry. After a moment or so, he nodded. "Yeah," he said, hoarsely. He cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'd like that."  
  
Kerry nodded back and walked to her locker. She opened it, rifled around, and pulled out a couple pieces of paper. She walked back to Dave and handed the papers to him. "I'll give you a few minutes alone, okay?"  
  
Dave nodded, walked over to the couch, and sat down. He waited until Kerry left the room, then looked down at the writing and started reading.  
  
  
  
  
  
Dear ER gang,  
  
So here I am, out on the beach. Since I've been gone, I realize that staying at County all those years…doing what we do on a daily basis, was the best choice I made. You're an incredible group of doctors and nurses. When it comes to patient care, I know my absence will hardly be felt…  
  
  
  
As Dave continued to read the letter, he felt tears begin to cloud his eyes. He finished the first page and turned to the next. As he finished it, tears were falling from his face freely. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, saying a silent good-bye to his former co-worker. 


	8. Trust Me

Disclaimer: Did you know that it's impossible to look at a picture of Erik Palladino and NOT smile?  
  
AN: This is the "musical" section of the story. Hopefully the songs fit in with the plots.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
  
"Dave?"  
  
The young resident looked up from his spot on the sofa in the Lounge to see Jing-Mei standing in the doorway. He quickly wiped the tears on his face away and stood up.  
  
"Are you okay, Dave?" she asked.  
  
He nodded. "Yeah, uh, I'm fine."  
  
"What's wrong?" she persisted.  
  
"Nothing, I'm just…I'm just reading Dr. Greene's letter," he replied, holding it up in proof.  
  
Jing-Mei nodded slowly in understanding. "Oh…yeah, that last part is…"  
  
"A rip to the soul," Dave finished.  
  
Jing-Mei gave him an understanding smile. "Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm cool," he assured.  
  
She walked up to him and squeezed his good shoulder. "You know, I'm always around if you want to talk."  
  
Dave smiled at the attending. "Thanks," he said. "I appreciate that…really."  
  
"Speaking of thanks…did I thank you for saving my life?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, actually, about a hundred times so far," Dave laughed.  
  
"So that last apology would make a hundred and one, right?" she asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah, I guess," he replied, becoming suspicious at her seductive tone.  
  
"Well, let's make this a hundred and two," she said as she leaned in to kiss him.  
  
Dave's eyebrows shot up as he felt her tongue in his mouth. After getting over the initial shock, he closed his eyes and responded to the kiss, pulling her body closer to his. As she wrapped her arms around him, all his worries flew out the window and he just concentrated on the kiss he had been dreaming of for the past two years.  
  
  
  
He gave her a confused look as she suddenly pulled back. She put her hands up to her lips and looked up at him with a shocked expression.  
  
"What? What is it?" he asked.  
  
"I…I shouldn't have done that," she replied, shaking her head.  
  
"Why not? I didn't mind…" Dave started.  
  
"No…it…it was wrong," she stammered.  
  
"How?" he demanded.  
  
She stared at him with her brown eyes. "I don't know," she whispered.  
  
He gave her a lopsided smile. "Neither do I."  
  
"I care about you," she admitted, still whispering.  
  
He blinked. "I care about you, too."  
  
"I want to be with you, Dave. I don't know when I realized it, but…I do."  
  
"Jing-Mei, I…I don't know what to say to that. I've been wanting to be with you for so long."  
  
"Dave, I want you to be mine and I want to be yours," she continued. "Say you will."  
  
"I will," he whispered to her immediately. "I will."  
  
  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Down to the earth I fell with dripping wings  
  
Heavy things won't fly and the sky might catch on fire  
  
And burn the axis of the world that's why I prefer a sunless sky  
  
To the glittering and stinging in my eyes  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
"Promise you won't hurt me," Jing-Mei told him.  
  
Dave hesitated. He closed his eyes and pictured the beautiful woman he had been dreaming about and smiled. "I promise, Jing-Mei. Don't worry, I promise."  
  
She looked up at him and touched his cheek.  
  
He looked into her eyes and stroked her hair. He leaned in and they shared another kiss. This time Dave was the one who pulled away quickly.  
  
"Are you sure you want to be doing this in here?" he asked, looking around.  
  
"Just kiss me," was Jing-Mei response as she pulled his head to hers for another kiss.  
  
  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
1 I feel so light  
  
This is all I want to feel tonight  
  
I feel so light  
  
Tonight and the rest of my life gleaming  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
Again, they pulled away, this time mutually. They looked deeply at each other's eyes as the sparks between them continue to flash.  
  
"I've been dreaming about kissing you since the day I saw you," Dave told her breathlessly.  
  
"That's because you wanted to get in my pants," Jing-Mei joked.  
  
"Don't ruin the moment," Dave replied with a chuckle.  
  
"Sorry," she whispered as she stroked his face.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
In the dark sea I'm as light as air floating there  
  
Breathlessly when the dream dissolves  
  
I open up my eyes  
  
I realize that everything is shoreless sea a weightlessness  
  
Is passing over me everything is waves  
  
And stars the universe is resting in my arms   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
"Have I ever told you how beautiful I think you are?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, but I never really paid attention to you back then," she replied.  
  
He laughed. "So you really didn't like me?"  
  
"Not especially," she answered, smiling. "You were a pompous, egotistical, rude…"  
  
"Okay, okay, I get the point," Dave interrupted, laughing. "What do you think of me now?"  
  
"Well, you've only been back for a day," she pointed out. "For all I know this could be a one-time thing."  
  
"But you said you care about me," Dave said.  
  
"I do," she answered truthfully. "But how do I know that you do, too?"  
  
Dave raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. "I guess you'll just have to trust me. Do you trust me, Jing-Mei?"  
  
After a moment of contemplating his question, Jing-Mei finally nodded. "Yes. Yes, Dave, I trust you."  
  
"I'm glad you do," Dave whispered as he pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen on Jing-Mei's face. "Because there's nowhere I'd rather be right now than here."  
  
  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
2 I feel so light  
  
This is all I want to feel tonight  
  
I feel so light  
  
Tonight and the rest of my life gleaming  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are they doing now?" Abby whispered to Carter.  
  
"I don't know, I can't see," Carter whispered back, trying to get a peek through the window.  
  
"Stand up a little more," Malik suggested.  
  
Carter rolled his eyes at him and turned back to the window.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
3 I'm just a kid and life is a nightmare  
  
I'm just a kid, I know that it's not fair  
  
Nobody cares 'cause I'm alone and  
  
The world is having more fun than me  
  
I'm just a kid  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
Dave opened his eyes for a moment, still engrossed in the mutual kiss he was sharing with Jing-Mei. He caught sight of a mop of messy, brown hair and a pair of dark brown eyes and quickly pulled away from Jing-Mei.  
  
"What the…" Dave wondered out loud.  
  
"What happened?" the confused attending asked. She stared at the wide-eyed expression of the resident before her.  
  
  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Responsibility, what's that?  
  
Responsibility, not quite yet  
  
Responsibility, what's that?  
  
I don't wanna think about it  
  
We'd be better off without it  
  
I don't wanna think about it  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
"I think he saw me!" Carter explained as he kneeled back down to face his fellow co-workers.  
  
"Oh, God," Jerry laughed.  
  
"They're gonna come out here any minute demanding an explanation," Susan predicted, looking expectantly at the door.  
  
They all followed suit and waited for the doors to the Lounge to fly open. But nothing happened.  
  
"Maybe he didn't see you after all," Abby contemplated.  
  
"He sure seemed like he did," Carter replied.  
  
"We'd better get back to work," Luka said to the group.  
  
"Yeah, Luka's right, if Kerry catches us, we'll be in a lot of trouble," Susan agreed.  
  
They all nodded in agreement and stood up. What was waiting for them on the other side of the Lounge doors surprised them all. They all gasped and then smiled sheepishly when they saw Dave and Jing-Mei each standing in front of a window of a door, both with the same amused expression. They opened the doors to confront their curious co-workers.  
  
"What do you guys think you're doing?" Jing-Mei asked.  
  
"Uh, well, see, Deb, we were just…resting," Carter replied, wincing at his explanation.  
  
"Really," Jing-Mei mused.  
  
Carter looked at Abby who rolled her eyes. He gave her a small shrug and turned back to Jing-Mei and Dave.  
  
"Yeah, see, we were, uh…all pretty wiped out," Carter continued.  
  
"So you just decided to take a break and sit down right outside of the Lounge?" Jing-Mei asked, who was enjoying watching Carter sweat.  
  
"Exactly, that's exactly right," Carter replied.  
  
"Huh, isn't that strange, Dave?" she asked, turning to the doctor.  
  
"Very," Dave confirmed, trying his best not to laugh.  
  
"Well, we need to get back to work," Carter said, motioning to the board.  
  
"I'm sure you do," Dave replied.  
  
"Yeah," Carter said. He bit his lip. "See you later, Deb, Dave."  
  
He quickly walked off.  
  
"Yeah, see you guys," Abby told the two.  
  
She ran off to follow Carter.  
  
The rest of the group quickly excused themselves as well, leaving Dave and Jing-Mei.  
  
They looked at each other and let out a laugh.  
  
"Can you believe that?" Jing-Mei exclaimed.  
  
"Not at all," Dave replied, wiping the tears of laughter from his face. "That was so un-Carter."  
  
"Malucci, Chen, is there something I should be aware of?" Dr. Weaver asked, limping up to the laughing couple.  
  
"Uh, no Chief, it's all good," Dave answered, still chuckling.  
  
"What's so funny?" she asked.  
  
"Um, just a joke," Jing-Mei lied.  
  
"What's this I heard about Carter?" Kerry asked suspiciously.  
  
"Carter…oh, yeah, um, Carter, he…he told us the joke?" Jing-Mei replied, meekly.  
  
"Mm-hmm," Kerry grunted. "Well, if you're both done with your little games, get back to work."  
  
"Yes, Chief," Dave called as his boss hobbled away.  
  
"Oh, my God," Jing-Mei whispered with a chuckle.  
  
"I know," Dave replied, giving her a wink.  
  
"So, when can we do that again?" she asked.  
  
"What, make out and have our co-workers spy on us?"  
  
"No," Jing-Mei laughed. "I was thinking we could have dinner together sometime."  
  
"That would be great…how about tonight? You could come over to my place."  
  
"Are you sure about that?" she asked uneasily.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I mean, your…"  
  
"Oh, you're worried about my son," Dave finished for her, nodding in understanding.  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"It's fine. Trust me."  
  
She smiled. "Okay, then, I'll see you tonight."  
  
"Awesome, awesome. Well, we'd better get back to work before the Chief comes back and beats us to death."  
  
"Yeah, um, I'll see you later, okay?"  
  
"I'll be looking forward to it," Dave replied. He gave her a dazzling smile before turning and walking away.  
  
"Ditto," Jing-Mei whispered as she watched him leave. 


End file.
